The Magical Armchair Rotating Header Image

Album Release

Major collaboration, album & tour this spring

Folds+yMusic_250Ben has teamed up with yMusic, an ensemble of six exciting instrumental musicians in their 20s and 30s with impressive credentials on both the pop and classical side. Ben’s “new band”, as he puts it, are putting the finishing touches on an album, to be titled So There (which will include at least parts of his concerto) and will be touring the US and elsewhere as Ben Folds & yMusic starting in mid-April; dates are still being arranged, though they’ve been booked to play the 2015 Bonnaroo Festival on June 12.

The sextet, comprised of violinist and guitarist Rob Moose, trumpet and French horn player C. J. Camerieri, cellist Gabe Cabezas, flutist Alex Sopp, clarinetist and multi-instrumentalist Hideaki Aomori, and violinist Nadia Sirota released their second album, Balance Problems, late last year. Each has also recorded solo or with others in every genre from classical to jazz and pop.

Ben heard about yMusic last summer and contacted them about a collaboration. (more…)

“TSOTLOTM” drops September 18

Even though most, if not all, of the songs will be out and about already, the reunited Ben Folds Five’s recently recorded album The Sound of the Life of the Mind will be officially released on September 18 through Ben’s longtime Sony Music affiliation. Taking a leaf from the PledgeMusic campaign making contributors all “vice-presidents of promotion,” the album’s on the “ImaVeePee Records” imprint.

In addition to the already-out Do It Anyway, the Folds/Sledge/Jessee collab contains the tracks Erase Me, Michael Praytor Five Years Later, Sky High, The Sound of the Life of the Mind, On Being Frank, Draw a Crowd, Hold That Thought, Away When You Were Here, and Thank You For Breaking My Heart.

Fans who donated to the PledgeMusic project will get access to the tracks earlier than the album release date.

A short tour of US venues has been announced for September and early October, followed by a few dates in Australia and several in the UK and Ireland; details are on the tour dates page.

Ben Folds Five to crowdsource distribution and promotion of new album

The as-yet unnamed upcoming album by the reunited Ben Folds Five, due out in late summer or early fall, is seeking subscription support from fans for distribution via Pledge Music. Through the Pledge Music system, one makes a “pledge” or payment of financial support and, depending on the amount chosen, can receive a variety of rewards ranging from a digital download of the finished project to signed CDs, tour t-shirts and a vinyl pressing. For the Ben Folds Five project, a basic download is $10, and other premiums range upward to $62. Though the project reached its monetary goal less than a day after being launched, one can still enroll and claim one of the premiums. (more…)

Release day for “Best Imitation”

So, what do you think of it?

Today (October 10) is the day that Ben’s retrospective compilation Best Imitation of Myself goes on sale in the United Kingdom, and tomorrow (October 11) in the US. If you’ve picked up your copy (that is, if there are any record stores left where you are), have had it delivered, or have downloaded it, let us know what you think! Leave your review in the comments section of this post and we’ll publish the best ones and bounce them over to the Magical Armchair e-mail discussion list (you can subscribe as well, using the box to the right). Is your favorite concert-only song on it? A song from a show you attended? Something you’ve only heard on a fifth-generation mixtape or bootleg, finally in the clear? Let everyone know your first impressions, and enjoy!

Retrospective announcement with track listing

 

Updated: See below.

The Best Imitation of Myself is the natural name for Ben’s latest project, a 3-disc set consisting of greatest hits, live tracks and rarities. It’s due to drop October 11, and the cover art and packaging is still being worked on (and you can help),  is shown at left, but the sequencing is done. It’s a treasure trove of all things Ben that every fan will want. The track listing: (more…)